In 2023, over 47,000 people in various European countries died due to excessive heat. The mortality rate was higher in the southern countries of the continent. This information was reported by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) on Monday.
2023 was the hottest year on record globally. Climate change has been consistently increasing global temperatures, with Europe experiencing a rapid rise in heat. This has also increased heat-related health risks on the continent. According to ISGlobal, more than 60,000 people died in Europe due to excessive heat in 2022. In comparison, fewer people died from heat in 2023. Over the past 20 years, various measures have been taken in Europe to address rising temperatures. Without these measures, an additional 80% more people would have died from heat in 2023. There have been significant improvements in heat forecasting and heat-related health systems in Europe over the past two decades.
ISGlobal’s lead researcher, Elisa Gallo, stated, “Various measures have been taken in our society to tackle high temperatures this century. As a result, heat-related health risks and mortality rates have decreased in recent summers. These measures have particularly benefited older individuals.”
ISGlobal’s research used data from 35 European countries. Among these countries, Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, and Spain reported the highest number of heat-related deaths.